Planter



Patented Sept. I3, |898.v

No. am;

J. D. SCHOFIELD.

PLANTEB.

(Application ld Sept. 4:, 1897.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l.

(NU Model.)

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No. 6|0,77|. Patented Sept. I3, |898. J. D. SCHFIELD.

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No. 6I0,77|. Patented Sept. I3, i898. J. D. SYCHOFIELD. PLANTER.

(Appiicaeion med sept. 4, 1897.)

4 Sheets-*Sheet 3 HllIllllll No. 6|0`,77I. Patenteld Sept.A I3, |8918.

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PLANTER.

' (Application led Sept. 4, 1897;) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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JAMES DROMMOND SCHOFIELD, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent IVO. 610,771, datedSeptember 13, 1898. Application filed September 4, 1897. Serial No.650,660. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES DROMMOND SCHOFIELD, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Planters; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in planters, the same havingspecial reference to that class of planters employed for automaticallyplanting cotton-seed, corn, dac. and wherein the feed is operated by adriving mechanism set in motion by the planter-supporting ground-wheelsor, as herein shown and as preferred, the covering-disks.

The main objects of my present invention are to devise a convenient andsimple means for converting and transmitting motion in a positive mannerfrom the planter-supporting covering-disks or the ground-wheels,whichever are employed, to the driving mechanism; to provide for athorough protection of the necessary gearing against the admission ofdust and grit, as well as a convenient means of access to the same; toprovide a conveniently-operated adjustment for the coveringdisks whenemployed, whereby their relative angular location may be changed at willand instantly, so that the planter is thereby adapted and caused 'tocover and plant at the depth desired; to provide means whereby thecovering-disks may be independently adjusted irrespective of the jointadjusting means before mentioned, so that they may be subsequentlyjointly adjusted with relation to each other and also with relation tothe line of draft, and thus the machine be forced to travel in astraight line and obviate all tendency to travel sidewise, and, finally,to provide a novel means for shifting or throwing the driving mechanisminto and out of operative connection with the feed devices and forretaining the corn, cotton, or other seed disk in position for lightrunning and adapted for easy removal, whereby the one may be readilysubstituted for the other Without an absolute removal of the retainingdevices employed.

Various other though minor objects of my invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features claimed for my inventionwill be embodied in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of myvimproved planter. Fig. 2 is a rear perspective of the same. Fig. 3 is avertical transverse sectional view of the hopper and the feed andoperating mechanisms. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspective of thesupporting-yoke and gear-case. Fig. 5 is a side elevation and partialsection of the diskadjusting lever and its connections. Fig. 5 is adetail of the adj listing-link of said lever. Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of a portion of the hopper. Fig. 7 is a detail of the upperswiveled ring and its axle. Fig. 8 is a detail of the under side of acorn or cotton disk and also of the feed wheel or disk upon which it ismounted. Fig. 9 is a detail of the gear-case and the parts carriedthereby. Fig. 10 is a detail of the shifting yoke and its operatingrod.Fig. l0 is a sectional view of hopperbottom with parts separated.

Similarnum erals of reference indicate similar parts in all the figuresof the drawings.

My improved planter mechanism may be supported in position upon anysuitable cultivater-frame, the one illustrated being preferred andcomprising, briey stated, the beam l, bifurcated or divided at its rearend in the usual manner and at its front end provided with the usualclevis or other draft appliance or connection. The standard .2 of anordinary plow or cultivator 3 is bolted to the beam l at the point ofdivergence, and immediately in rear is located the seed spout ordischarge 4. A gage-wheel' 5 may be adjustably connected by a standard 6to the front end of the beam l. l may also employ a reiiecting-mirror 7,mounting the same upon the beam in such manner as to be readily ad-,

j usted to reiiect the working of the seeder to the eyes of theoperator, so that he can at all times readily see that the machine ispern forming its proper function in a satisfactory manner and thereforedoes not have to leave his position toascertain this fact. Of coursehandle-bars S may be employed, the same being bolted to the bifurcationsof the beam and to any other suitable points. Such, however, would beomitted or removed when the planter IOO rated threaded lug 22.

is supported upon a riding cultivator for planting one or a plurality ofrows simultaneously.

I preferably bolt to the rear bifurcated ends of the beam 1 asubstantially U-shaped main yoke or frame 9, and the same may have itsupper ends or terminals bent outwardly in a horizontal manner to formopposite rests 10, upon which .the bottom 1l of the hopper 12 may bemounted. The hopper-bottom may have formed at diametrically oppositepoints lateral extensions or lugs 13, through which vertical bolts 14may be passed, said bolts also passing upwardly through openings 15,formed in the rests 10, which openings are preferably in the form ofelongated slots, so that the hopper as a whole is capable of a slightadjustment with relation to the yoke 9.

16 designates a cast-metal cap comprising an upper disk 17, on the upperside of which is formed a pair of transverse parallel superficial ribs18, cast thereon, and between which and seated on the cap is the lowertransverse portion of the yoke 9. This cap may further comprise adepending annular liange 20, the same being of less diameter than thedisk 17, from which it is extended and of which it is formed a part,whereby there is produced at the upper end of the cap an annular bead21, which in reality is the projecting or overlying edge of the disk 17.The lower edge of the iiange 20'of the cap is cut away or recessed atnearly diametrically opposite points, as at 19, and at one side betweenthese points has its edge provided with small lugs 2l and at theopposite side provided with a half-round depending perfo- Anoppositely-disposed lower cast-metal cap 23 may also be employed, thesame comprising the lower disk 24, annular flange 25, and lowerannularly-disposed radiallyprojecting bead 26. The upper edge of theflange 25 of this cap is also cut away, as at 27, at nearlydiametrically opposite points, so that when the annular Iianges of thetwo caps meet these cut-away or recessed portions combine to produceside openings in what constitutes an annular sectional gearcase. Theflange of the lower cap is provided with nicks or shallow recesses28,which receive the depending lugs 21 of the upper cap, and is alsoformed with a half-round recess 29 for the reception of the perforatedand threaded lug 22. These ftwo caps are oppositely disposed and may beheld in removable position by means of a pair of vertical binding-bolts.30,which depend through corresponding pair's of vertically-aliningperforations, with which the disks of the two caps are provided, closeup to the interior surfaces of their annular meeting flanges. areprovided with central vertically-alining perforations 32, that of theupper cap having its perforations flanged on its under side. These holesor perforations 32 are in direct vertical alinement withsimilarly-flanged holes 34, formed at the center of the U-shaped Thedisks of the two caps main yoke 9, and also with the usual though largeropening 33, formed in the bottom 11 of the cylindrical hopper 12.Extending through-these four openings and journaled in the lower threeis the vertical operatingshaft 35, which is also passed through thebored hub 36 of the ratchet-wheel 37, located below the hopper bottom.This ratchetwheel, which is in reality the lower member of a clutch, issurrounded by an annular flange 3S, upon which loosely rests a curvedclutch-yoke 39, having three angularly-disposed trunnions 40, two ofwhich are journaled in openings in the sides of the main or U-shapedyoke-frame 9, as indicated at 41, Fig. 3, and the other of which isengaged by a perforation 42 or otherwise loosely connected to the lowerend of a vertically-movable rod 43, located at one side of thehopper-body 12. The rod 43 is slotted near its upper end, as at 44, andis engaged and guided by a headed stud or screw 45. The slot 44 ispreferably of inverted-L shape, so that the rod may be depressed andmoved laterally, so as to become locked against upward movement byreason of the neck of the stud entering the lateral branch of the saidslot.

The ratchet-wheel37, before mentioned, is loosely mounted on the upperend of the operating-shaft 35, and its hub is longitudinally slotted, asat 46, through which slot projects a pin 47, which projects laterallyfrom said shaft. By this means it will be seen that the ratchet-Wheelwill have a vertical movement independent of the operating-shaft 35, butmust rotate with the same. Aloose bearingcollar 4S may be mounted on theoperatingshaft immediately above the bottom of the yoke 9, and betweenthis collar and the lower end of the hub of the ratchet-wheel is locateda spring 50, the same being coiled upon the operating-shaft and adaptedto normally elevate the aforesaid ratchet wheel until its teeth engagesoperatively with similar teeth 51,formed on the under side of thefeed-disk 52. The feed-disk 52, Fig. 8, is'located in the depressedcentral portion of the hopper-bottom, the ratchet-hub on the under sidethereof projecting through the central opening in said bottom. The diskis provided with a central opening 53,through which the upper end of theoperating-shaft projects, and with an external intermediate track-flange54. The upper side of the flange 54 has formed thereon diametricallyopposite lugs 55. A corn-disk or, as herein illustrated, a cotton-disk56 may sur* mount the feed-disk 52. The corn or cotton disk may beformed in any usual manner for dropping corn through the openings 57,with which the bottom 11 of the hopper is provided, or for feedingcotton-seed horizontally or otherwise through the opening 58, Fig. 6,

also formed in said bottom 11. The latter opening may be provided withthe usual gage or cut-off 59 and dropping-wheel 60; Whatever be theshape or configuration of the corn or cotton-seed disks, each has itsbottom pro- IOO IOS

IIO

vided with a depending annular hub 6l of such size and shape as willadapt it to take over and fit the upper end of the feed-disk 52,

and the said hub 6l is recessed or notched at diametrically oppositepoints, as at 62, so as to engage the lugs 55, with which said feeddiskis provided. It will thus be apparent that motion will be conveyed fromthe feeddisk to the corn or cotton disk and that by operating theratchet-wheel 39 the motion may be arrested and the feed stopped, sucharresting and stoppage of the feed being accomplished while the planteris in motion by simply operating the clutch-rod 43, heretoforedescribed, which will, through the medium of the clutch yoke, depressthe lower clutch member or ratchet-wheel until it is out of engagementwith its companion in the hopper.

The upper side of the corn or cotton-seed disk may be provided with acentral concaved bearing-lug 63, and in the lug is stepped the lowercone-shaped end 64 of a vertical post 65, which depends from and may beformed as a part of a transverse bridge-bar 66. This bridge-bar islocated across the upper end of the hopper and `is formed with slottedangular ends 66, which rest against the inner side of the hopper-wall, apair of bolts 67 being passed through the slots mentioned and throughcorresponding circular bolt-holes in the hopper-wall and provided attheir outer ends with win ged nuts 68. By running these nuts backward soas to slightly loosen the bolts it is obvious that the bridge-piece maybe raised until the lower cone end of its post is out of engagement withthe cavity of the lug 63 of the corn or cotton disk, and hence,

for instance, the cotton-disk may be removed and a corn-disksubstituted, and thus the;

planter easily and quickly converted from a cotton to a corn planter, orvice versa.

Now to return to the motion-producing mechanism. Between the annularparallel beads formed on the upper and lower caps or sections 16 and 23composing the gear-case is located an upper and a lower ring 65 and 66a,respectively designed to revolve or oscillate horizontally incontactwith each other and about the gear-case, these rings beingconlined in position by means of the aforesaid beads with which thegear-case is provided. The upper ring is provided with a dependingextension 66h, which bears on the lower ring and from which radiates anoutwardly-disposed bored stud 67a, and the lower ring is provided withan upward extension 68,which bears against the upper ring and from whichradiates outwardly a similar bored stud 69, the said studs beingopposite the two side openings in the gear-case. studs is journaled ashort radial axle 70, said axles being somewhat longer than the studs inwhich they are mounted. On the outer ends of the axles are mounted inany rigid manner ordinary covering-disks 72. rated lugs 7l may be formedon the studs 67"L and 69, and supported in an adjustable man- In each ofthese` Perfo-` ner thereon, by means of set-bolts 73, is a pair ofscraper-blades 74. The blades are bent at their lower ends at 75, whichbent portions are slotted, as at 76, whereby the blades may be adjustedwith relation to the covering-disks. It will also be seen that radialmovements of the covering-disks will cause similar movements upon thepart of the scraper-blades, so that the relative adjustments between theblades and coveringdisks are maintained.

At the inner ends of the radial axles (which occur within the gear-case)are located and fixed small bevel-gears 77, which, as will be apparent,are in the same horizontal plane, but the axles differing slightly inlength the gears are not in the same annular plane or radius. The gearsare also of different size. The larger one meshes with and drives asimilar bevel-gear 78, located on the operatingshaftwithin the lowerhalf of the gear-case, and the smaller of these bevel-gears 77 mesheswith and drives a larger opposing gear 7 9,. located in the upper halfof the gear-case on the operating-shaft and slightly smaller than itscompanion 78. As a result of this system and proportioning of gearingthe two covering-disks through their axles transmit motion at the samerelative speed and in the same direction to the operating-shaft, so

that the latter is driven positively andthe strain is equally divided bythe two sets of drivers.

-An angular horizontal frame 80 is located in rear of the hopper, theforwardly-projecting terminals of the frame resting on the horizontallugs projecting from the hopper-bottom and lnay be secured in positionby means of the same bolts that serve to secure the hopper-bottom to themain U-shaped yokeframe 9. A hand-lever Sl convenient to the operator isloosely clipped, as at S2, to the rear transverse portion of the frameand has its lower end inwardly bent or offset, so as to be injuxtaposition to the gear-case and the rings carried thereby. Each ofthese rings is provided with a bearing-pin 83, the upper one passingloosely through and beyond an elongated slot 84, formed in thehand-lever. At its lower end the hand-lever is provided with an openingS5, through whichpasses a bolt 8G, which projects radiallyfrom theopening or perforation formed in the depending half-round lug 22, thatextends from the annular flange of the upper half or cap of thegear-case. its ends, so as to be fulcrumed on said bolt, and between thehead of the bolt and the link there is coiled on the former atensionspring 88. This link is provided with upper and lower elongatedslots 89 and 90, respectively, the upper slot receiving the upperbearing-pin S3 or that of the upper ring, and the lower slot receivingthe lower bearingpin 83 or that of the lower ring. At its extreme upperend the link is provided with a transverse slot 91, curvedconcentrieally with.

A link 87 is perforated between` IOO IIO

IZO

relation to the fulcrum-bolt 86 of the gearbox. An adj usting-bolt 92passes through this slot and a coincident bolt-hole in the hand-lever.

It will be evident that by oscillating the 1ever, the bolt 86 as thefulcrum, the two rings on the gear-case will be caused t'o oseillate orpartially rotate in opposite directions, this by reason of theintermediate fulcruming of the hand-lever on the bolt S6. This oppositerotary movement upon the part of the rings causes the covering-disks togather or angle or separate, so that their angles are increased ordiminished, and thus the machine will be caused to plant the desireddepth. The covering-disks may be locked in any of their adjustedpositions by means of an adjustingscrew 93, passed through the lever andthe clip 82, said screw serving to clamp the clip upon the frame 80.Other means may readily be devised for accomplishing this locking of theparts. In fact slight modications in regard to the various details ofthe invention will readily suggest themselves, and for this reason Iwould have it understood at the outset that I do not contemplate conningmy invention to the details herein shown and described, but maintainthat I may vary the same to any extent and degree desired and which maybe'within the knowledge of the skilled mechanic without departing fromthe spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its numerousadvantages.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a planter, the combination with a hopper having a lowerfeed-opening at one side of its center, of a seed-disk rotatablysupported in the bottom of the hopper and provided with a centralupwardly-disposed stud, a transverse bridge-piece located in the hopper,a post depending from the said bridgepiece and having a bearing at itslower end for engaging the said stud of the seed-disk, and means foradjustably securing the bridgepiece to the wall of the hopper.

2. In a planter, the combination with a hopper having a lowerfeed-opening at one side of its center, of a seed-disk rotatablysupported in the hopper-bottom and provided on its upper side withabearing-cavity, a transverse bridge-piece located in the hopper andhaving a depending post immovably connected with the bridge-piece andterminating in a reduced bearing end entering said bearingcavity of theseed-plate, and means for vertically adjusting the bridge-piece in thewall of the hopper.

3. In aplanter, the combination with a hopper having a lowerfeed-opening at one side of its center, of a seed-disk rotatablysupported in the hopper-bottom and provided on its upper side with abearing-cavity, a transverse bridge-piece located in the hopper andhaving the terminals at its ends bent at right angles and slotted,adjusting-bolts passed through the slotted angular ends of thebridge-piece and the walls of the hopper, and a post depending from thebridge-piece and having a reduced bearing end conforming to thebearing-cavity of the said disk. 4. In a planter, the combination with ahopper having a lower feed-opening and a central opening inits bottom,of an operatingshaft extending through the latter, means for rotatingthe shaft, a feed-disk carried by the shaft and located in the bottom ofthe hopper and provided with an annular encircling iiange and lugs, aseed-disk having its' under side provided with an annular hub adapted toreceive the flange of the feed-disk and provided with notches forengaging the lugs thereof, and means for removably retaining theseed-disk in position upon the feed-disk.

5. In a planter, the combination with a hopper having a central openingformed in itsl bottom, a vertical operating-shaft extendingtherethrough, and means for rotating the said shaft, of a feed-disksupported in the bottom of the hopper and having its under side providedwith a toothed hub, a flanged ratchetwheel mounted for vertical movementupon and adapted to rotate with the shaft, a spring for normallyelevating the same into engagement with the'toothed hub of thefeed-disk, a shifting yoke loosely engaging the ratchetwheel andprovided with a radial arm, a yokeoperating rod located at the side ofthe hopper and provided with a slot having a lateral offset and at itslower end loosely engaging the said arm, and a headed stud projectingfrom the hopper-wall and through the said slot of the rod.

6. In a planter, the combination with the U-shaped frame or main yoke, ahopper supported thereby and having its bottom provided with a centralopening and with a lower feed-opening, of an operating-shaft extendingthrough the bottom, means for rotating the operating-shaft, aratchet-wheel carried by the shaft below the hopper-bottom and free tomove vertically on the operating-shaft and adapted to rotate therewith,a feed-disk located in the hopper-bottom upon the operating-shaft-andhaving its under side provided with a toothed hub to engage theratchet-wheel when the same is operated in one direction, a curvedoperating-yoke connected loosely to the ratchet-wheel and provided withopposite trunnions bearing in the terminals of the yoke-frame and with alateral arm, an -operating-rod loosely connected to the outer end of thearm and provided with a slot having an oset, a headed stud extendingfrom the hopper-wall and engaging the slot of the rod, and a springarranged on the operating-shaft for normally elevating the ratchet-wheelinto engagement with the teeth of the hub of the feed-disk.

7. In a planter, the combination with a hopper and its supporting-frame,of a cylindrical gear-case supporting the frame, upper and lower ringsswiveled on the gear-case and provided with lateral bearings, oppositeaxles journaled in the bearings and extending beyond the opposite endsof the same, bevelgears at the inner ends of the axles (one of which issmaller than the other), coveringdisks atthe outer ends of the axles, acentral operating-shaft journaled in the gear-case, large and smallbevel-gears carried thereby,

' which respectively mesh with and are adapted to be driven by the largeand small bevelgears of the axles, a stud extending lradially from thegear-case, a stud extending radially from each ring, a lever fulcrumedbetween its ends on the stud of and loosely connected to the studs ofthe rings at each side of the fulcrum-stud and feed devices connected toand operated by the operating-shaft.

S. In a planter, the combination with a cylindrical gear-case and ahopper supported thereabove, of upper and lower rings swiveled on thegear-case, each ring being provided with a radial bearing, oppositeaxles located in and extending beyond these bearings, covering-diskscarried by the outer ends of the axles, a vertical operating-shaftjournaled in the gear-case, a bevel-gear carried thereby, a similar gearcarried by the inner end of one of the axles and meshing and driving thegear of the operating-shaft, studs extending from the gear-case and fromthe rings, a lever fulcrumed on the stud of the gear-case and atopposite sides thereof loosely engaging the studs of the rings, and feeddevices operated by the rotations of the operating-shaft.

9. In a planter, the combination with acylindrical gear-case, asuperimposed hopper carrying a feed mechanism, an upper and a lower ringswiveled on the gear-case, each of said rings having a radial bearing,axles mounted in the bearings, covering-disks located at the outer endsof the axles, means for partially rotating the rings in oppositedirections,a vertical operating-shaft, feed mechanism operated thereby,and means for conveying motion from one of the axles to saidoperating-shaft.

10. In a planter, the combination with a gear-case, a superimposedhopper carrying a `feed mechanism, of axles projecting radially from thegear-case, means for connecting them movably with the gear-case,coveringdisks located on the outer ends of the axles, a verticalfeed-shaft journaled in the gearcase and adapted to operate the feedmechanism, means for conveying motion from one of the axles to thefeed-shaft, and means for securing said axles at a point of their radialto each other, a gearing located in the gearcase for conveying motionfrom the coveringdisks to the operating-shaft.

12. In a planter, the combination with a cylindrical gear case upper andlower rings swiveled thereon and provided with studs, independent axlesradiating from and j ournaled in said rings and carrying at their outerends covering-disks, a stud projecting from the gear-case between therings, an operatingshaft journaled in the gear-case, a superimposedhopper carrying feed mechanism operated by the operating-shaft, andgears within the gear-case for conveying motion from the axles to theoperating-shaft, of a handlever fulcrumed on the stud ofthe gear-"caseand loosely connected at opposite sides thereof to the studs of theupper and lower rings, and means for securing the lever at any point ofits adjustment.

13. In a planter, the combination with a cylindrical gear-case anoperating-shaft jour-v naled therein, a superimposed hopper carrying afeed mechanism operated by the operating-shaft, upper and lower ringsswiveled on the gear-case and having bored radial bearings arranged outof the same horizontal plane with each other, axleslocated in thebearings, covering-disks secured to the outer ends of the axles,bevel-gears at the inner ends of the axles within the gear-case, beveland oppositely-disposed gears on the operating-shaft each meshing withone of the gears of the axles, of studs radiating from the rings andfrom the gear-case, a hand-lever fulcrumed on the stud of the gear-caseand connected loosely to the studs of the rings at each side of saidfulcrum point, a spring mounted on the fulcrum-stud of the case andbearing on the lever, an upper transverse guide bar or frame, a clipconnecting the lever slidably to the frame, and means for securing thelever at any point of its adjustment.

14. In a planter, the combination with a cylindrical gear-case having aradial fulcruming-stud, a. superimposed hopper carrying a feedmechanism,an operatin g-shaft j ournaled in the casing and adapted tooperate the feed mechanism, opposite axles carrying coveringdisks, ringsswiveled on the casing and supporting the axles and studs extending fromthe rings, of a hand-lever fulcrumed on the stud of the gear-case andabove the same provided With an opening for engaging the stud of theupper ring, a link loosely mounted on the stud of the gear-case at oneside of the hand-lever and at opposite sides of its fulcrum-pointslotted to loosely engage the studs of the upper and lower rings, andabovethe upper stud concentrically slotted with relation to saidfulcrum-point, and a set-bolt passed through the aforesaid concentricslot and through an opening in the hand-lever.

15. In a planter, the combination with a cylindrical gear-case having aradial fulcruming-stud, a superimposed hopper carrying a IOO IIO

feed mechanism, an operating-shaft journaled in the casing and adaptedto operate the feed mechanism, opposite axles carrying coveringdisks,rings swiveled on the casing and supporting the axles and studsextending from the rings7 of a hand-lever fulcrumed on the stud of thegear-case and above the same provided with an opening for engaging thestud of the upper ring, a link loosely mounted on the stud of thegear-case at one side of the hand-lever and at opposite sides of itsfulcrum-poin't loosely slotted to engage the studs of the upper andlower rings, and means for ad j ustably securing the link to thehand-lever.

16. In a planter, the combination with the divided cylindricalgear-case, comprising the opposing cylindrical caps provided withannular beads at their opposite ends, the yokeframe secured on the uppercap, the bolts passing through and connecting the caps and frame, saidcaps having their meeting edges provided with openings or recessescombining to form side, slots, the upper cap having a depending threadedextension, a threaded bolt carrying a spring mounted adjustably therein,opposite rings for encircling the caps and swiveled between the beadsthereof, each ring being provided with an inward extension carrying aradial bored stud and short studs, the bearing-studs being out of thesame horizontal plane, axles mounted in the bored studs, coveringdiskslocated on the outer ends of the axles and bevel-gears at the inner-endsof the axles within the gear-case, of a vertical operating-shaftjournaled in the gear-case, a superimposed hopper carrying feedmechanism operated by the operatingshaft, opposing bevel-gears carriedby the operating-shaft and meshing each with one of the bevel-gears ofthe axles, a lever fulcrumed on the stud of the gear-case, and looselyconnected at each side thereof with the studs of the rings, and meansfor securing said lever `at the desired point of adjustment.

1,7. In a planter, the combination with a pair of radially-movable axlescarrying coverin g-disks, of means for radially adjusting the disks withrelation to each other, and scraperthereabout, each of said rings beingprovidedV with a radial bored arm forminga bearing, opposite axlesjournaled in the arms and at their outer ends carrying covering-disks,and scraper-blades supported by the bored arms and adjustable thereonwith relation to the disks, of a vertical operating-shaft, asuperimposed hopper carrying. feed mechanism, and means for conveyingmotion from one of the said axles to the said operating-shaft, and foradjusting the aforesaid axles with relation to each other.

19. In a planter, the combination with a hopper having lateralextensions at its bottom, and a subjacent U-shaped yoke-frame having itsterminals laterally bent to agree with the extensions, and boltsconnecting the extensions with the bent terminals of the frame, of acylindrical gear-case located below the yoke-frame and secured thereto,a pair of axles supporting covering-disks at their outer ends located atopposite sides of the gear-case, means fol-'rotatably supporting theaxles on the gear-case, a lever for simultaneously moving the axles, anda guideframe for the lever having its ends secured to the extensions ofthe hopper and the bent terminals of the yoke-frame.

20. In a planter, the combination with a hopper, a feed mechanismcarried thereby, and means for operating the latter, of a pair ofopposite covering-disks, means for simultaneously angling or adjustingthe same with relation to each other and for angling one more than theother, or less, as the travel of the planter may require.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES DROMM 0N D SCHOFIELD.

Witnesses:

J. C. HAMBERLIN, E.' J. GANNoN.

